This is the archive for FairVote's periodic newsletters highlighting some of the latest developments in the world of electoral reform and news about FairVote's own research and analysis. For FairVote's Innovative Analysis series, which offers a fresh, accessible perspective on our core issues, click here.

It has been several weeks since a general update from the Center for Voting and Democracy, but we've been busy and productive this election season -- and interest in our analysis of elections and political reform continues to grow. Certainly a remarkable confluence of events in American elections shows the importance of re-thinking our electoral rules. Not only is the election tomorrow a titanic struggle between the major parties for control of the presidency and Congress; but it also raises fundamental questions about:

Voter turnout (fewer than half of American adults may vote);

Electoral competition (despite the overall competition for control of Congress, most congressional races are walkovers);

The perversity of our winner-take-all, plurality voting system (where some supporters of third party candidates like Ralph Nader hold back for fear that voting for them will help elect the candidate they most dislike);

Representation of women and racial minorities (women lag far behind counterparts in most well-established democracies and the U.S. Senate again will have no black or Latino members);

The usefulness of the Electoral College (which not only this year has led the major candidates to ignore most states in their quest for votes in swing states, but may well lead to an election winner who loses the national popular vote).

We will follow up with you shortly with a post-election analysis, a preview of plans for the upcoming round of redistricting and a discussion of the increasing opportunities for pursuing and winning changes in our voting system to empower more voters. Following is a review of our analysis of today's elections and of notable events, reports and commentary recently posted on our web site.

USA Map Guide to New Reports: See new USA map to peruse state-by-state reports on predictions in congressional elections ("Monopoly Politics 2000"), electoral competition and redistricting at http://www.fairvote.org/map/map.htm

"Dubious Democracy 2001" An exhaustive collection of data from each state's congressional elections on competitiveness, voter turnout, partisan shares of the vote and seats, representation of women and minorities and other measures of electoral health from 1982 - 1998 presented in an attractive, easy-to-read format.

"Monopoly Politics 2000" A state-by-state, district-by-district list of predictions and projected vote shares, along with information on election results in each congressional district from 1992 to 1998

"Mapping our Future: A Public Interest Guide to Redistricting" A state-by-state guide to what governs redistricting in each state, with information on the statutes governing redistricting, litigation in the past decade, any reform efforts and legislation on redistricting and an analysis of the political landscape in each state.

Rule by the Non-Majority : The Center released an extensive analysis of the frequency of candidates winning state and federal elections with less than 50% of the vote. The Washington Post (see below) discussed this report in detail.

New Commentaries on Lack of Competition: Lee Mortimer, a member of the Center, wrote a commentary that has appeared in the Raleigh News and Observer, Charlotte News and Observer, Houston Chronicle and other publications. CVD policy analyst John Gear wrote a column that appeared in Lansing State Journal and on the nation wire.

An exhaustive collection of data from each state's congressional elections on competitiveness, voter turnout, partisan shares of the vote and seats, representation of women and minorities and other measures of electoral health from 1982 - 1998 presented in an attractive, easy-to-read format.4. Essays from All 50 States on "Why We Don't Vote"

The essays have been discussed and quoted in such publications as USA Today, Christian Science Monitor and Hartford Courant and in a Medill news service wire story. Two essays and quotes from many more were distributed on a national wire and have been used by a variety of newspapers, including the Charlotte News and Observer. Another winning essay was circulated by Alternet's Wiretap magazine.

, in which supporters of third party candidates who have decided to instead vote for a major party candidate would find a supporter of the other major party candidate making a similar calculation and agree to both "cancel" each other's support out by both voting for their minor party candidate of choice. (Note that a recent poll showed that 5% of Al Gore and George Bush would vote for Ralph Nader if they believed their vote for him would not be wasted. If true, that would make his percentage close to 10% of the national vote.) Rather than accept these tortuous calculations and tactics, we urge people to join the growing coalition behind instant runoff voting and bury the "spoiler" charge once and for all.9. Support for Proportional Representation

Another loss to the CVD community was the death of Bruce Baechler, who had been an active member of CVD since our founding in 1992. He pushed hard for the Libertarian Party to put proportional representation in its platform and to make it a part of LP activists' agenda. He died in an auto accident in Ohio while working on a congressional campaign.